When Katie Holmes’ daughter Suri reportedly dropped her dad Tom Cruise’s last name, she didn’t just pick a random name to go by instead. Apparently, the name honors her mom — and that makes the move even more special!

A source told that the 18-year-old is now publicly going by Suri Noelle to “praise her mother. “She is showing praise for her mother by using her middle name,” the source said, explaining that Holmes’ middle name is Noelle. The insider speculated that the name change came about because Suri “wants her own identity.” It will also help her “avoid the paparazzi” and allow her to “start fresh at college” this fall.

Not to mention it will help her distance herself from her estranged dad.

previously reported that Suri went by “Suri Noelle” at her graduation from La Guardia High School earlier this month, an event that the star skipped to attend Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour concert in London instead.

Now that Suri is 18, she could decide to publicly open up about her decision to change her name or talk about other controversial things in her family’s history. For example, she might talk about her childhood experience in Scientology, which she was raised in until her parents split in June 2012, reportedly due to Katie’s worry of Suri being raised as a Scientologist. At the time, Katie was given sole custody of Suri and $400,000 a year in child support payments, per

Suri Cruise, daughter of Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise, dazzled at her high school prom in NYC. https://t.co/gXZERqDXtw

— SheKnows (@SheKnows) June 20, 2024

In April, an expert and seasoned Scientology journalist told that Suri may choose to speak up about the controversial Church one day. “Suri would have been too young to sign any agreement, but she will now be free to talk if she wants to, and it’s going to be really interesting if she has something to say.”

For now, though, it seems like Suri’s motivation comes less from trying to get back at her dad and more from honoring her mom. And that’s so incredibly sweet!